City planners recommended earlier this month that the board reject the proposal because the store's design was too auto-oriented, didn't have enough architectural features to make it attractive to pedestrians and was at a key gateway to the city. Architects made changes, which resulted in city staff taking the rare step of not making a recommendation in its report a week before the public hearing.

Company representatives then wrote the city a letter explaining how the store met city guidelines. City staff changed its position before last week's public hearing, recommending that the board approve the store.